Alejandrina finds the confidence and courage to pursue her goals with Cara Connects

At almost 80 years old, Alejandrina felt she was behind in the technical skills that companies wanted in an employee. She was ridden with self-doubt, questioning the possibility of being able to work again. After being out of the workforce for three years and subsiding on Social Security, she found herself in a slump. The idea of entering a new community, career, and daily routine seemed daunting and almost impossible. But Alejandrina was motivated by her ambition to grow, which led her to finding the support of our mission-driven staffing firm, Cara Connects. 

The Cara Connects community was first introduced to Alejandrina by a local housing program employee. She immediately thought to reach out, driven by the satisfaction of being productive again. Understanding the opportunity and insight available to her through Cara Connects, she finally decided to take her first steps toward a new career. 

Alejandrina enrolled in digital literacy training through Adelante, a program that Cara Connects operates with Northwest Center. At first, she felt insecure, not knowing what to expect and how well she was going to perform. But to her delight, she was surprised at how welcoming everyone was, and became very comfortable with the group. She gained skills that she thought she was never going to learn at that point in her life. Plus, she feels she’s found a beautiful and supportive family within the Cara community.

“Cara is a beautiful program. The leaders are so efficient and sensitive to everyone’s needs. I think we need more programs like this, for both older and young people.”

This experience has helped enable Alejandrina to realize the importance of a transitional job and to continue working on growing her skills. “You’re learning, doing something, meeting new people, seeing new things in life. It also helps to have more money in my pocket to cover extra costs.”

These benefits, the newfound sense of community, and confidence in her new skills have motivated her to continue working with our team to put her growth to good use in her next transitional job opportunity with Cara Connects. Alejandrina is grateful to herself for finding the courage to leave her comfort zone, and find the best that life has to offer.

Please consider supporting more job seekers like Alejandrina. Send in your gift to transform a life at www.caracollective.org/donate.